Migrating from Admob 6.4.1 to Google Play Services based ads

Monetizing, Advertising & Marketing Advertising Networks
1

Hi Folks,

As you may already know Google plans to shut down the “jar” based Admob and use the Google Play Services based one starting August. If not - check here:

Announcing Deprecation of the Standalone Android Google AdMob SDK - Google Ads Developer Blog

To see how this new service operates I migrated one of my small apps and I noticed the following changes (vs 6.4.1 version of AdMob “JAR” release) - CTR went down by approx 40% (fresh data, migrated on Feb 26th) while the CPC remained unchanged so in result the CPM also went down significantly.

Has anyone tried this already? What were your results? Any other comments in regards to that migration?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

2

I tried it and noticed that many a times ad does not load on 3g connection but the fill rate still shows 100% as a result my impression went down.:frowning:

3

I didn’t migrate because I couldn’t figure out how to make it work with mopub mediation, any ideas?

4

I migrated all my apps. Have not noticed much difference. My ecpm dropped in january, but that was before I migrated. Ecpm is about the same now.

5

It’s suppose to be the same ads, the api idea is to prevent you from updating sdk. Keeping you up to date.
Should be great for people with a lot of apps. They wouldn’t have to add a new sdk to all apps. It’ll be automatically handled by Google from what I understood.

6

For me it caused some bug reports probably because I forgot to limit the app to Android 2.2+. For now I paused updating to Google Services until I have time to investigate…

About moPub - I’ve seen new moPub SDK has classess for Google Services ads.

7

I have changed to new service for few of my apps and so far I can say that I also saw drop in revenue (not counting regular drop in first few months).
Not as much as 40%, but still… For one app it could be coincidence, but for every that I have changed, I don’t think so.

8

Regarding the forced move now to the Advertising ID - for Admob users that means you HAVE to switch from the old Admob SDK to the new Google Play services version of the SDK. Since the old Admob does not support Advertising ID.

Those who’ve already done this - is there something to watch out for (any pitfalls ?) - that is not obvious from the migration guide.

For reference, here are the Google references for that:
https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/admob/play-migration
Google Play Services Migration
https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play
Getting Started
https://developer.android.com/google/play-services/setup.html
Set Up Google Play Services SDK
forum:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/google-admob-ads-sdk

ANDROID 2.2 AND EARLIER
For the new one - you need to target above Android 3.2 (not a problem) - but the minSdkVersion should be Android 2.3+ (API 9+) in AndroidManifest.xml

For me this will mean - what should I do about the Android 2.2 (API 8) users of the apps ? For them the app would just disappear from Google Play. But they would continue to use their apps for some time - still using the old Admob SDK without the new advertising ID.

So would Admob penalize me for that ? Or is the screening process only for new apps or updates ? The language on Google Developer Console does not suggest so:

https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play
Quote:
As of March 28, 2014 , the new Google Play Developer Program Policy (“Content Policy”) will be in effect for all new applications submitted to the service. Any pre-existing applications must achieve compliance or be voluntarily unpublished by the developer within 15 days of the issuance of this notification.

A reasonable middle ground interpretation of this for “pre-existing apps” would suggest that - as long as you have updated the app on Google Play then you are ok. If the same app continues to use the old Admob SDK without advertising ID - then you are still ok. Let’s hope this is what Google intends as well.

The good news regarding EXCLUDING Android 2.2 (or below Android 2.3 to be precise) is that for one of my apps, the number of current installs for:
Android 2.2 - 2000
Android 2.3 - 12 (i.e. is a rare version)
Android 2.3.3 to 2.3.7 - 12,000
Total current installed base of 80,000.

So Android 2.2 is a relatively small 2000 out of 80,000 current installs.

MEDIATION setups AND PUBLISHER IDs should continue to work

Google says SAME publisher IDs you are using now will work. And says it is compatible with “existing mediation adapters” (???)

https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play
Quote:
The Google Play services library does support publisher IDs from the legacy AdMob console, and is compatible with existing mediation adapters.

ORPHAN APP INSTALLATIONS

Publisher ID working is understandable. But how will the other mediation adapter .jar files for AppBrain, mmedia and others work ?

It would be one thing if the other advertisers issue mediation adapters for the new Google Play stuff. But until that happens, what should we do - continue to use the old adapters as if the old Admob SDK is being used ?

In any case, if other advertisers have not issues Google Play compliant SDKs yet - then the mediation adapters are the least of the problem - the issue becomes whether one should REMOVE the other ad networks (until compliant .jar files become available from them).

IF we remove all other ad networks - and just use Admob Google Play services version. Then a few versions of your app will be going out WITHOUT other ad networks SDKs. Let’s call these the special case versions of your app. A year later, after you’ve added back all the ad networks SDKs, and you get complacent - you change the mediation settings in Admob to give traffic to another ad network.

HOWEVER, you are forgetting that maybe 10% of your user base is still using that “special case version” of the app - and those apps will crash because they were shipped without other ad network SDKs.

So what is the solution ?

Maybe start using NEW publication ID for the new version of the apps (using the new Google Play services version of Admob).

This way you are ALWAYS clear what apps are affected by what publication ID.

However, you run the risk of having to build up an “app reputation” again for the apps - leaving behind the understanding Admob may have built up already for your app user base (thereby sending you higher quality targeted ads).

Or should one just ABANDON all other ad networks - and just stick to Admob from now on ?

Or should one switch to using a “temporary” (in your mind) publication ID for these versions of your app. Once you have all the Google-compliant ad networks SDKs, then you can switch back to using your “old” publication IDs again.

AUTOMATIC UPDATES OF NEW GOOGLE PLAY services version of Admob

We have been told that with new Google Play services Admob - that the SDK will be updated along with Google Play updates. So you won’t have to keep updating the Admob SDK .jar file in your apps ?

What is happening in this case ? You are setting a marker in your app that it will use the Google Play services - as outlined here:
https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play

However, do ALL versions of Google Play services support Admob ad delivery ?

What percentage of Android users are running OLD versions of Google Play that does not have Admob capabilities ? (potential for revenue loss as no ads be delivered to them - or the app crashes in worst case scenario).

Is Google Play FORCIBLY updated by Google for all android users ?

One thing promised by Google is that even on non-Google Play devices (like Amazon Kindle or the new Nokia X android phones) - that ads will STILL be delivered EVEN if there is no Google Play on that device:

https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play

Quote:
The Google Play services library supports even devices that don’t have the Google Play store. To update such devices, download and bundle the latest Google Play services SDK; then relaunch your apps to propagate updates to your users. Devices that do have the Google Play store are automatically updated to the latest version.

Is this “download and bundling” the same as the default case - or do you need to do something extra beyond just the reference to the Google Play services in Eclipse (as suggested in the link above) ?

9

Quote:

As of March 28, 2014 , the new Google Play Developer Program Policy (“Content Policy”) will be in effect for all new applications submitted to the service. Any pre-existing applications must achieve compliance or be voluntarily unpublished by the developer within 15 days of the issuance of this notification.

A reasonable middle ground interpretation of this for “pre-existing apps” would suggest that - as long as you have updated the app on Google Play then you are ok. If the same app continues to use the old Admob SDK without advertising ID - then you are still ok. Let’s hope this is what Google intends as well.

The good news regarding EXCLUDING Android 2.2 (or below Android 2.3 to be precise) is that for one of my apps, the number of current installs for:
Android 2.2 - 2000
Android 2.3 - 12 (i.e. is a rare version)
Android 2.3.3 to 2.3.7 - 12,000
Total current installed base of 80,000.

So Android 2.2 is a relatively small 2000 out of 80,000 current installs.

MEDIATION setups AND PUBLISHER IDs should continue to work

Google says SAME publisher IDs you are using now will work. And says it is compatible with “existing mediation adapters” (???)

Great information.
as per new policy at Google Play
under Point 5 “Usage of Android advertising ID”
I see this,

Beginning August 1st 2014, all updates and new apps uploaded to the Play Store must use the advertising ID (when available on a device) in lieu of any other device identifiers for any advertising purposes.

So I am confused should all of my new apps should use advertising ID starting from 15 days of March 28 or from August 1, 2014?

Also As a side one does everyone always see the alter message of New policy of march 28 on developer console even if you have clicked (X) (closed it) multiple times?

Thanks,

10

Quote:
Also As a side one does everyone always see the alter message of New policy of march 28 on developer console even if you have clicked (X) (closed it) multiple times?

Yes, Google Developer Console keeps reminding that when you return to the webpage (after some time or whatever).

Someone else here had mentioned August 1, 2014 as the date for compliance with Advertising ID.

In some contact with ad networks - I am seeing that they are not quite ready with this requirement - so they maybe working on an August 1, 2014 type of timeline also.

Perhaps the meaning of all this is that the March 28, 2014 and 15 days allowance to update apps refers generally to the new Google Guidelines - and specifically for the Advertising ID issue - we have more time until August 1, 2014.

EDIT: so this means there is really no other thing that is really a problem for the March 28, 2014 and 15 day deadline - for well-behaved apps, the Advertising ID was the only big thing. Or am I forgetting something ?

11

Try the latest MoPub SDK.

12

Thank you ,
That is what I also understand.
As My apps use admob/inmobi with banner and interstitial (no other fancy things to get money) so I was confused about what could be date of implementation of advertising ID.

Thanks again

13

The way I read the new policy, it’s saying that you have to use the new ID IF your tracking your users. If your not tracking your users then you don’t have to use it at all. So basically it’s the networks who require the Read Phone State permission, which they use to get the IMEI or something to track the users. I don’t really know which ones, but I would suppose some networks don’t track the users at all, and therefore don’t need to change their SDK to use the new “Advertising ID”.

14

Google Mobile Ads is now offered by google play service. This is the recommended way of enabling ads on your Android apps.

15

Will try this here shortly

16

if you use unity3d, its only a matter of adding a plugin

17

congratulation man , how make huge difference :rolleyes: